Posted online: Aug 4th, 2010

A young University graduate from Edinburgh was crowned the 43rd Mary from Dungloe at the world famous annual festival on Sunday night.
Jemma Ferry (22) beat 14 other contestants from around the world to take the title from last year’s winner Kate Ferguson at a packed crowning cabaret in Ionaid Spoirt na Rossan.
A recent graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a MA (Hons) degree in History and Classics, a visibly shocked Jemma was greeted and hugged by the other contestants after being announced as this year’s winner.
Speaking afterwards, Jemma said she has been coming to the festival since she was a little girl and always wanted to be Mary from Dungloe.
“To wear the Edinburgh sash and be crowned the winner is just fab. When I heard my name I asked myself was this really happening to me,” she said.
On hand to congratulate her were her parents Paddy and Fiona, grandmother Agnes Brown, sister Orla, brother Patrick and boyfriend Paul McKay. Singer Daniel O’Donnell was also in the audience cheering on his niece Mags O’Donnell who was representing Dublin. Jemma’s escort for the weekend was Dublin based Garda Tommy Byrne.
On stage to interview the girls this year was i102-104 DJ Dave O’Connor. Among the prizes presented to Jemma were the 43 year old winner’s medallion, €1000, Newbridge jewellery and Galway Crystal.
This is the third time an Edinburgh girl has taken the title and Jemma follows in the footsteps of Heather Stewart in 1997 and Kerry Sweeney in 2007.
This year’s Little Miss Mary from Dungloe was eight-year-old Lara O’Donnell from Burtonport, who is the second member of her family to take the title – her big sister Aoife won it in 2000. Her escort was Joey Donald (11) from Kincasslagh.